Aircraft

AeroMobil reveals electric VTOL flying car concept

AeroMobil reveals electric VTOL flying car concept
An illustration of the AeroMobil 5.0 VTOL in flight
An illustration of the AeroMobil 5.0 VTOL in flight
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The AeroMobil 5.0 VTOL's wings will fold back when it's in "ground mode"
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The AeroMobil 5.0 VTOL's wings will fold back when it's in "ground mode" 
An illustration of the AeroMobil 5.0 VTOL in flight
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An illustration of the AeroMobil 5.0 VTOL in flight

Like Terrafugia and Pal-V, AeroMobil has developed a flying car/roadable aircraft that requires a runway in order to take off and land. This Wednesday, however, the Slovakia-based company announced its plans for an electric VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) model.

Called the AeroMobil 5.0 VTOL, the four-seat electric vehicle will perform vertical take-offs and landings using a set of rotors located on the ends of each of its wings – those wings will fold back when it's in "ground mode." Once the vehicle is airborne, a pusher prop in the rear will propel it forward.

The company states that the 5.0 will be capable of autonomous flight, which raises the question of whether or not a pilot's license will be required in order to fly it – one will be required for the existing non-VTOL combustion-engined AeroMobil 4.0 STOL (short take-off and landing).

Ultimately, it is hoped that the two models will complement one another.

"The multi-product strategy means we can provide urban travel with the AeroMobil 5.0 VTOL and intra-city travel with the AeroMobil 4.0 STOL," says CEO Juraj Vaculik. "Our strategy solves the limitations of alternative VTOL concepts which are tied to dedicated landing pods rather than also using the existing road infrastructure."

The AeroMobil 5.0 VTOL's wings will fold back when it's in "ground mode"
The AeroMobil 5.0 VTOL's wings will fold back when it's in "ground mode" 

If you're wanting a 5.0, though, don't go making room in your garage just yet. AeroMobil estimates that it won't be available for another seven to 10 years, with production beginning sometime after the planned 2020 roll-out of the 4.0.

Terrafugia, incidentally, is working on a VTOL model of its own, known as the TF-X.

Source: AeroMobil

3 comments
3 comments
Vernon Miles Kerr
Once in a while, automotive/aircraft design seems to make a quantum leap forward. Such is the case with this concept. In earth-bound mode this is a beautiful vehicle. It hints of the ability to fly but the flight gear does not dominate the look: it nestles unobtrusively within the flowing lines of the car's body. It would be cool to see that his is not just someone's pipe-dream and that it is actually realized into a commercially viable product. VTOL - Autonomous, with no requirement for a pilot's license, is the only way to fly. STOL is soooo last-century.
MattII
Oh not another 'flying car'. When will people learn that these almost never work? And on the rare occasions they do work, they don't sell.
Lardo
I'm guessing that investments began drying up after 4.0 crashed. Have to do something to keep the money coming in. Apparently he more outlandish you are, the more suckers you can attract.